An O'Connor combustor is a large, cylindrical combustor in which solid municipal waste is burned. The combustor may be up to 60 feet long, up to 10 feet in diameter, an weigh up to 100,000 pounds. The combustor operates in a rotary manner, with waste being injected in one end, which is elevated relative to the other end, from which non-combustibles are removed following the combustion step.
The O'Connor combustor is water-cooled, water being injected into the combustor through a rotary joint, which allows water in and steam out of the combustor while simultaneously permitting the combustor to rotate.
ln order for the rotary joint seals to function properly, it is necessary to align the combustor as nearly as possible with the welded pipes connecting the combustor to the rotary joint. If the combustor is only slightly out of alignment, the seals on the rotary joint wear out quickly. However, the combustor's weight and size makes it impossible to achieve proper alignment during rotation. As a result, the rotary joint seals must constantly be replaced in current systems, regardless of the amount of care taken to achieve alignment of the combustor.